Budding Roses
by Squirrama
Summary: A look at the very start of the duelists' respective tales. Some from before Akio sunk his claws into their lives, others from after. Mostly made up of Drabbles. Concrit is welcomed.
1. Red and Yellow

Perhaps one of the things that fascinate me the most in a tale are back stories, those often only hinted at pasts that compel characters to act in the manner that they do. This is why I am writing this imagining of where the duelist's stories started. In a way I suppose one could include my other Utena Fic, _The Start of it All_ as part of this, as it is about Anthy and Akio/Dios. Personally I like that fic more, partially because Anthy is my favorite character and her and Akio/Dios' past has always interested me, and partially because I enjoy the style I wrote it in. Hopefully I will end up liking this fic just as much.

Please do let me know what you think, for it is impossible for me to improve my writing otherwise. Even if all you want to do is tell me one location where I did not punctuate correctly, I would love to know. Thank you.

Lastly, Shoujo Kakumei Utena is the brainchild of Be-Papas.

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This story isn't realistic, it isn't supposed to be. The world it takes place in is Ohtori, things like reality have no hold here. In the real world, two orphaned siblings would probably be under the ward of child services. They probably would not be taken in by a rich and powerful family like the Kiryuus. Had they knocked on the manors door they would have been met by servants. But this is not the real world, ruled by reason and possibility. This is Akio's world, and the only thing that matters here is his own personal wants and desires. He chose this batch of duelists when they were young. Reality bent in order to accommodate their stories beginning, middle and eventual end. 

Which is why the tale of the future red and yellow duelists' shared start began in such a manner.

Their mother had grown ill, and sadly the hospital had run low of type O blood to match her own. Their father, type AB himself, committed suicide a while later, felling that this was his own fault for not having the same sort of blood. He abandoned them, even though his son had been sure that love had existed in their family. After that he was unsure if such an abstract concept of love could be real. Perhaps it was like friendship, something which only fools believe?

Regardless he knew he cared about the baby his parents had left behind. He had to make sure the two of them were taken care of.

He came with her, protectively pressing her to his chest. It was raining out. Both were wet and dirty, his eyes seemed filled with some sort of plea. Surely somebody at a majestic manor such as this could take care of us. Surely someone wouldn't mind helping two needy children. Or at the very least take care of her. He could find somewhere else, but her small body couldn't take the cold any longer.

After she answered the door, that stately lady had hugged them both tight, her dress getting dirty in the process. She hadn't seemed to care, for these were her children now.

Imagine, going from a homeless orphan to the son of such a wealthy family in a handful of moments.

Now imagine that all this happened just so that a man you had yet to meet could ensure you'd enter the right school when you grew older. Not that you knew that, but still it does put things into perspective.


	2. Orange

These are turning out far shorter than they first come to me in my mind. This one just 100 words long. A legitimate drabble!

The way I see it I have nothing to lose and all to gain by people letting me know what they think about my writing. I write fanfiction to experiment with my writing and feedback, be it positive or negative, can really help. Thanks.

Utena belongs to Be-Papas

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They had met well before elementary school began. Before they became a part of His school, His kingdom, His world. They had been friends, playing together at the same playground day in and day out. Things had been simpler then, when friends were friends and nothing more. Hormones had yet to ruin things.

Those days are far distant memories now. Attempts to recall them only bring to mind blurry images, or brief snapshots. Perhaps a recollection of a thought you were having here or there. Nothing of any real substance is left. Neither of the memories nor of their friendship.


	3. Dark Blue

I apologize for the gap between updates, computer trouble and the new semester teamed up on me at once. Hopefully this makes up for the delay.

The odd thing about this one is that I absolutely despise Ruka. However I do think he truely loved Juri, and to sacrifice your last days on this planet to help another find happiness is really noble, even if I think he went about it in a disgusting manner. Anyway, this is set in Ruka's second year of highschool, before he is hospitalized, or the series even began.  
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He was sick. He was dying. He knew that much. Always had. He probably wasn't going to make it through the year.

However he wasn't too sick, not just yet. He was still well enough to be in school. Still well enough to stumble upon the middle school clubs practice session. Still well enough to watch her fight for the first time.

He was mesmerized.

She was so beautiful out there, putting her all into the match. Yes, she made mistakes, but they could be easily trained away. He could tell, even then, that something was holding her down. Crippling her.

She agreed to join the high school team, and train to be its next captain. He was almost surprised by how calmly she took his offer in. It wasn't often girls at Ohtori took his presence lightly. After all he was a council member. One of the special people. He checked his surprise with the knowledge that she too was one of those special people.

The next time he fought a duel, he did so for her, fighting to obtain the power to set her free. The power to make her smile.

Into her he poured a lifetimes worth of love, all of it unrequited. However he had no time left to find another to fall in love with, his illness was starting to get worse.

Before he left he nominated her for the council. His last wish to allow her to obtain that power herself, the power to set herself free.

He hadn't had much time on this planet, but at the very least Tsuchiya Ruka hoped he had made life better for one who did.


	4. Light Blue

Another 100 word drabble. My muse seems to like these a lot. I had trouble writing this, as each and every time I attempted to write for the Kaoru twins, Kouze's voice would be the one to take over the piece.  
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Sometimes, they could hear the fighting.

Back then, she'd climb into his bed, both silently crying, wishing for all the world the fighting would end. They'd support one another and help the other fall asleep against the backdrop of the yelling each night.

That had been before he got sick.

Afterward, he'd climb into her bed. She'd pretend he wasn't there, only allowing him enough support to make it through the night. She'd no longer offer him her weakness. She'd no longer let him help her.

It was in this manner they slept through the night the marriage finally ended.


	5. Green

There is a spelling error here, and I know it. Word Perfect and my beta were unable to detect it, but I know its there. Please hunt it down for me. I'd be ever so grateful. Anyways, this one was particularly hard due to personal bias against Saionji. However since he is one of my best friend's favorite character I did try to respect him, really I did. I hope I didn't utterly fail at that.  
----

They had met in passing years before. Back then, only one of them had been rich. Back then, he at least had that to hold himself over the other.

Secretly he was glad when his friend's parents died. It meant he had bettered him once again. Even as an "innocent" child he was aware that his chances to better the other were slim and few between.

The smile on his face when he discovered they had been adopted into a family far more powerful than his own disguised the nauseous feeling in the pit of his stoumage. He wanted to be glad for him, he really did.

But did he really have to lose to him at everything?


	6. Interlude I

This one came out of nowhere, as I was sitting in class talking about the nature of time. It occurred to me that being unable to age would be akin to running on a treadmill forever, while everyone else was actually getting somewhere. As a former trackie myself the idea of running a race and not actually moving is rather horrific, and I really do hope I got that sense down correctly. This is another character that I feel I can't do justice to, considering all he was robbed of. His life was taken from him by keeping him that way for so long, and on top of that his memories were altered heavily.  
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Interlude I:

There is a path, stretching off endlessly into the distance.

A group of runners crouch ready to begin their race down the path, each bent low for the start, their faces obscured.

One stands not on the path, but rather on a treadmill placed in the middle of the starting line.

The gun sounds, they all start to run, further and further into the distance, running so far they are no longer visible.

The boy on the treadmill tries his best. He's giving it all he's got, running, running, running, panting, sweating, running. He's desperate to move along with the rest. As he gives his struggle his all, the racers pass him by, he can hear the cheers of spectators in the distance.

He's pushing onward with all he's got. Using up all his energy, yet going nowhere.

Mikage collapses unable to run on. Off in the distance the bell signaling the last lap tolls.


	7. Interlude II

This turned out to be an other 100 word long drabble. My muse seems to really be stuck on those. Hopefully I can get her back in gear soon and write something else. To be perfectly honest here, I don't know how I feel about this one. I don't know if blaming the crash on Akio is really fair. A car crash seems a little too sloppy for his way of doing things, however it isn't so much so that I would erase all doubt that he's responsible in some way.

I did always wonder why, if that was indeed a random crash, Dios would be there to comfort her. Hadn't Akio/Dios given up on saving the princess' of the world by then? That is unless it was orchestrated by him to make Utena the way she would need to be in order to fight the duels. This then gives me some satisfaction at least, knowing that Utena didn't turn out exactly as he planned. After all, he had planned on Utena loving him, not Anthy.  
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Interlude II:

A perfect family. If such a thing exists.

They were laughing together, on a family outing of some sort.

She was having ice cream, had smeared it on her mouth. Her mom wiped it off for her, while her dad jokingly told her how cute that was.

Perfect. Happy. Complete.

Not at all right for a future member of Akio's kingdom.

Not at all right for His future Bride.

It was raining, the car swerved, he lost control.

"Little one bearing alone in sadness..."

False comfort, from the one who caused the pain. That's all he could ever offer anyone.


End file.
